


Nick & Takeo - #43 - Nuance

by zosimos (trismegistus)



Series: Tobira no Mukou e [14]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist (Anime 2003)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Future, Gen, Original Characters - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-06-19
Updated: 2010-06-19
Packaged: 2017-10-10 04:51:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/95678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trismegistus/pseuds/zosimos
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt #23 of 50</p><p>At the shooting range.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nick & Takeo - #43 - Nuance

Nick exhaled, sliding the ear muffs off his head and settling them down around his neck. The range wasn't full today, it was too early in the morning on the weekend. He set his emptied gun down on the ledge in front of him, then stretched his right arm out in front of him, flexing each finger in turn.

He had an automail tune-up just a few days ago, Winry half-heartedly chiding him about how long it had last been since she had seen him while mercilessly tightening the bolts in his upper arm. The reason it had been so long was this exactly, her tightening bolts threw off his balance microscopically. It wasn't enough to affect his day-to-day life, but it was just enough that his shooting was suspect.

It wasn't as if he couldn't shoot left-handed. He was quite good with just his left hand. He preferred his right, even if it was more work. It just felt more natural to shoot right-handed, automail be damned. He favored his right, and that meant that after seeing Winry he'd be at the range every morning for a week getting back his edge.

The poor PFC who was charged with collecting the targets and setting up new ones signaled that he was all clear. Nick pulled his ear muffs back on out of habit as he loaded his gun with a fresh magazine. When the buzzer sounded he squeezed off all eight rounds quickly, in a concentrated burst. He held that position a moment, frowning, then relaxed and ejected the cartridge, putting the gun back down on the ledge.

"Good morning, Lieutenant."

Nick glanced up in surprise, the voice heavily muffled through his protective headgear. He slid the ear muffs down and saluted out of habit. "Mornin', Colonel Hawkeye ma'am."

Colonel Riza Hawkeye stepped into the booth beside Nick's, to put down several hand guns. She was mostly in uniform, her military jacket the only piece of the ensemble that was missing. And given the heat that already coated the air that was no surprise. "I'm surprised to see you here, Lieutenant Elric. I figured that you would be with the others."

"The others, ma'am?" Nick glanced to his wrist out of habit, then patted his pocket. He did not have a timepiece with him; occasionally he considered taking the State Alchemist's exam just for the excuse of having a pocket watch with him when he was on base.

Colonel Hawkeye was checking her firearm over. "I saw Captain Barshaw in the lockers this morning, and I thought I saw Major Kobayashi head into the main building." She nodded as she set the prepared firearm down, moving to the second one. She looked up as the PFC who collected targets approached them with purpose, saluting a moment before handing Nick his two targets. He saluted them both again before heading back the way he came.

Nick sighed as he compared the two targets. Colonel Hawkeye raised an eyebrow. "Impressive, Lieutenant," she said, indicating the second target; with its grouping of eight holes between the neck and the collarbone.

"Yeah," Nick said. "Except I was aiming for the head."

Hawkeye chuckled. "Just had your automail adjusted then, I take it?"

Nick pinned the two targets to the wall beside him, before pulling another magazine to put into his Colt. "Yup," he said, stepping back into the booth properly. Colonel Hawkeye pulled on her own protective ear muffs as they both took the proper shooting stances, and waited for the buzzer.


End file.
